Bulk Billing: 3 Things You Need to Know
Some medical and health centres offer a service called bulk billing. Bulk billing typically occurs when the medical professional sends the hospital bill to the Medicare program rather than requesting that a patient pay for the cost of their treatment. If you would like to find out more about what bulk billing is and how the system operates, please read on.
You need to check which treatments are covered
If the Medicare system covers you, you will not be expected to meet the cost of certain medical procedures and services. However, not all medical services and procedures are covered by Medicare. If you receive a treatment or service which is not covered, you will not be able to bulk bill this cost and will need to pay for it from your own pocket.
You don't need to worry about receiving second-class treatment
If you are covered by Medicare and are planning to use the bulk-billing system, you may be concerned that the treatment you receive will not be carried out to the same standard as it would be if you were paying for private healthcare. Your doctor should offer the exact same treatment options they would offer to someone who is paying directly for their care. If a doctor recommends a certain treatment, this may be because it is covered by Medicare and will therefore not cause you to incur any additional costs. If the doctor recommends a treatment which is not covered and for which you will need to pay, they will make this clear before proceeding.
You may need to request bulk billing
Medical professionals aren't under any obligation to make use of bulk billing. You may, therefore, have to request if bulk billing is available under the Medicare program. Because bulk billing is much more straightforward than mixed billing, in which the patient makes a small contribution which is then claimed back once the treatment is complete, it is more than likely that your doctor will be happy to bulk bill. Bulk billing also makes it easier for a person to budget and manage any payments they may need to make for treatments which are not covered by the Medicare program.
If you would like to find out more about bulk billing and Medicare, you should contact your local health centre today for further information. Your doctor will be happy to discuss the different billing and payment options which are available to you.